Masters of Death
by Adina2938
Summary: What I think would have happened if Harry had not dropped the stone in the Deathly Hallows. Ignores the epilogue. I accept flames and constructive criticism, please tell me what you think. DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT J. K. ROWLING. THIS IS NOT MINE. I AM MAKING NO MONEY OFF OF THIS


Harry Potter was tired. He had been on the run for almost a year. (Was it only a year? It felt like an eternity.) He had been witness to the deaths of Fred Weasley and Severus Snape. Lupin and Tonks were dead. Lavender Brown was dead. Colin Creevy was dead. Over fifty people had died. Voldemort had been right. They had all died for him, because of him, because he hadn't handed himself over. Was Voldemort's death really worth all those lives? Harry's heart clenched painfully. All he really wanted was to fall asleep, to sink into that blissful illusion of nothingness before he would have to face the press, comfort the families, pretend to be happy.  
He made his way to Gryffindor Tower. The familiar red and gold was comforting. He was Home. Home was never the Dursley's, though Harry felt he might be able to smooth things over with his cousin.  
He walked up the stairs slowly, made his way into the circular room with the five four-poster beds. He went to the bathroom, stepped into a shower, and turned the water up as hot as it would go. The steam relaxed him, eased his tense muscles. He thought back to what Dumbledore had told him, about the reason he survived the killing curse a second time. It didn't seem plausible, somehow. The boy-who-lived-twice didn't really have another explanation, though, so he figured he would have to accept it. He got out of the shower, dried off, and stepped into pajamas the house elves had left him. (And thinking of house-elves made him think of Dobby, who had also died to save him...)  
Ron was already asleep, but Neville was up, waiting for Harry. Harry looked at his bloody cheek, his black eye, and felt guilty that Neville had been through all of that for him. He didn't want people to sacrifice themselves for him. He wasn't worth it.  
"I didn't understand, before." Started Neville softly, so as not to wake Ron. "I always thought you were the bravest person I knew. I heard what you had done at the end of each year, and thought how amazing it was, how courageous you were. A real Gryffindor. But with you gone, there was no one to look up to. I felt like I had to help somehow, you know, standing up to the Carrows and Snape-"  
"Snape was good. He was for the light. Dumbledore had made Snape kill him, because he was already dying of a curse anyway. And did you notice how he always gave you detention with Hagrid, instead of the Carrows?" interjected Harry.  
Neville's eyes widened slightly. "Blimey. Snape was good," he said slowly, trying it on for size. Harry could see the acceptance in his eyes and realized Neville trusted him.  
"You were talking about standing up to the Carrows?" He prompted.  
"Yeah. Anyway, I felt an obligation, almost. I didn't realize that you were practically forced to do everything, so when it happened to me, and Ginny and Luna, I didn't feel brave. I was terrified. But I knew it was what we had to do. I-I'm sorry, for not understanding before. I feel like rubbish, thinking you wanted that."  
Harry stared at him in disbelief. This was so unlike the Neville he knew. The-boy-who-lived decided he liked this new version of the-almost-boy-who-lived, and resolved to become better friends with him.  
"Don't feel bad, Neville. I don't care. Anyway, you redeemed yourself, sticking with me through fifth year." At this, Harry clenched his right fist, where, "I must not tell lies" was engraved forevermore.  
Neville looked relieved, and nodded once before lying down. Harry got into bed and did the same, quickly falling asleep.  
...0..o.0.o..0...  
Hermione Granger was happy. Real, True, Laugh-out-loud happiness that she hadn't felt in over a year. She had been browsing the library, because, as Ron had said in fourth year, when she was in doubt, she went to the library. Harry had told her how the Deathly Hallows were real, and he had shown her all three. She was doubtful. So she went to the library. She pulled out every history book she could find, every DADA text she could get her hands on. The bushy-haired Gryffindor hated the feeling of not knowing something, so she read and read the whole night. Madam Pince was helping treat the wounded. (Hermione was shocked that the librarian had a healer's degree.) No one was there to kick her out. So she devoured books on the hallows, but no one had been a master of all three since Death himself, so no one really knew what the side effects of being the Master of Death might be. But she felt so close, so close, to finding something important. She discovered the secret of the chamber by listening to that particular instinct of hers, so she didn't see the harm in looking for more information. She was rewarded with a complicated spell around dawn.

The Bonding Spell  
"animabus nostris vinculi"

This is an ancient spell, used to connect people to each other magically. Any strengths they have in magic will be shared. They will also be able to communicate telepathically and feel each other's emotions. This spell is extremely dangerous and not to be done by the average wizard. One mistake in this spell could mean death. The bonders have to have gone through something life-changing that brought them closer together. Any amount of people can be bonded, but the more people the more dangerous the spell is to perform.

Hermione looked at the sheet with a slight smirk. It was absolutely perfect! Harry and Ron would be able to apparate properly and become animagai! It had taken her months to become one, but her boys would be able to do it immediately. Also, they would be able to work so much better together with the mind reading thing. She only wanted the best for them, and this was how she would get it for them.  
...0..o.0.o..0...  
Ron Weasley was shocked. Well, more tired than shocked, really. He didn't understand why Hermione insisted on waking him up at six in the bloody morning! From the look of the bags under her eyes she hadn't slept a wink, though. And from the look on her face she had discovered something huge. As usual. He tried to get ahold of his sleep deprived thoughts before his foot found its way into his mouth. He listened to Hermione explaining something to Harry, something about bonding. He heard Harry agree, but argue that they had to add Ginny, Neville, and Luna. Hermione asked Ron if he agreed. He did. Hermione's plans were usually good ones. Hermione woke Neville up and called Ginny and Luna through the Galleons. Ron tried to shake himself awake, but he had never been a morning person. So he grabbed Luna's and Neville's hands as they all stood in a circle. Hermione chanted something. Then Ron sleep-deprived brain was assaulted by hundreds-or at least five-voices all asking if it worked. If what worked? Ron wondered. Suddenly Hermione's voice filled his head.  
'Weren't you paying any attention? The bond! We can read each other's minds now. You only need to practice a bit. You have to think, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," and the link will be opened up. To close it think "mischief managed."'  
Ron looked at Hermione, or where she was. To his shock, she was gone. But in her place was an otter. Ron looked and saw a stag, a horse, a rabbit, and a basset hound all where his friends once stood. Animaigi, he realized with a start. When had they all become animaigi? He felt left out, and slightly jealous.  
'Just think of yourself turning into an animal' Luna's dreamy voice suggested in his brain, and to his shock he suddenly was inches from the ground, four paws underneath him. The horse was gone, his sister having popped into existence.  
"You're a dog!" She exclaimed. "A terrier! Aw, look at you!" She cood. Ron growled-growled!-and transformed back.  
...0..o.0.o..0...  
So Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Luna all bonded on May 3rd, 1998. Luna gave them the gift of sight-the ability to see all those strange animals that none of the other five ever believed in. Harry and Hermione married, Ron and Luna got together, and sparks flew between Ginny and Neville. They all had children, and watched them grow up, when Hermione realized they weren't aging. At all. The six also noticed how quickly they healed, and Ginny had even gotten an injury in quiditch that should have killed her, but she walked away unscathed. It was then Harry realized just what being the master of death entailed, and the gift he had shared with them.  
Immortality.  
The six would live forever. Not only that, but they could will someone to die, and they would. Hermione, being a healer, used this to her advantage when someone was in too critical a condition to survive, and when death would be a more merciful option. It was Neville who discovered the last power that being maser of death entailed: time. Neville was tending plants when a future-Neville came and explained to him. Five days later Neville went back to explain to his younger self, and then told the other five. So the six of the went back in time to 1978 and willed Voldemort dead and all his horcrauxes destroyed. They stayed in 1978, never explaining who they were, watching their parents survive, their six younger versions never being touched by war. And whenever someone tried to become the next Dark Lord, they sextet simply willed him dead. They lived on the fringes of society until the end of days, until the last Potter and Weasley and Longbottom died. They saw baseless hatred eradicated, saw the world join arms in raising the young, watched as the world grew into what it was meant to be. And when at last the last human, muggle and magical, passed from the earth, the six were allowed rest at last. In the afterlife, they were celebrated as heroes, but all the six wanted to do was sleep.  
And so they rested with the knowledge that the end of the world was peaceful, that everyone was friends. After thousands of years, they rested at last.


End file.
